Senator Royce West and his fellow House Representatives and Senators spoke on issues thats they as Democrats wanted to address during a press conference after the State of the State on February 5, 2019 at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas.

Photo: Thao Nguyen, Contributor

Dallas state Sen. Royce West launched his long-awaited Senate bid on Monday, joining a crowded field of Democrats vying to take on U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in 2020.

West, who has served in the Texas Senate for nearly three decades, is sure to be the most experienced politician in a Democratic primary that already includes five other candidates.

“What we are about to do is reclaim Lyndon Baines Johnson’s Senate seat for a Democrat,” West said at a kickoff rally in Dallas where he was introduced by U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson. “I say to Democrats and Republicans, I will be an LBJ-type senator who sits down and gets the job done.”

West stressed his experience in the Republican-dominated Legislature as evidence he can work with lawmakers on the other side of the aisle in Washington, D.C., though he rolled through a laundry list of progressive priorities should he get there, including affordable health care, free college and climate change.

West rounds out a primary race that includes Houston City Councilwoman Amanda Edwards, who announced her run last week, former congressional candidate and Air Force pilot MJ Hegar and former Houston Congressman Chris Bell. Beaumont NAACP Chair Michael Cooper and Sema Hernandez — the runner-up to Beto O’Rourke in the 2018 primary to challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz — are also running.

The race is already drawing national attention as Democrats hope to build onO’Rourke’s momentum in their quest to take the Senate in 2020. Cornyn, however, has already amassed a $9 million war chest to fend off a challenger and has been aggressively fundraising, warning supporters of the potential that Texas could turn blue.

Cornyn’s campaign was quick to respond to West’s announcement, posting a video accusing him of “rubbing elbows with Chuck Schumer” before West had even spoken at his rally.

“While the Democrat primary is quickly turning into a contest of who can run to the left the fastest, we’re building our field operation and adding grassroots supporters,” John Jackson, Cornyn’s campaign manager, said in a statement. “Whoever limps out of the runoff will face a grassroots army motivated to elect John Cornyn and stop Chuck Schumer and Elizabeth Warren’s agenda.”

West, 66, runs a Dallas-based law firm that does work for local governments.

West touted a lengthy career in the Legislature that he’ll likely lean on throughout the race, saying he spent the last 27 years “readying myself for this moment.” He said he was encouraged to run by 10 of the 12 Democrats in the Texas Senate and 47 Democrats in the House.

“I’m battled tested,” West said. “You’ve seen me in battle.”

Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa in a statement called West “a strong leader, consensus-builder, and proven legislator.”

“Royce has stood up for Texas’ working families in the state Senate time and time again,” Hinojosa said. “In his nearly 30 years of service, he has fought in the Legislature so every Texan has a fair shot at getting ahead.”

West’s campaign has drawn the backing of Barbara Ann Radnofsky, a Houston attorney who ran against former U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in 2006 and is serving as its treasurer and, Mike Collier, a former candidate for lieutenant governor who came within 5 points of Dan Patrick in 2018.

“Senator West has a lifetime record of protecting basic rights and opportunities for Texans. I have seen Royce as a leader on the front lines fighting for equality for all and ensuring that Texans are able to get ahead,” Radnofsky said in a statement. “He is a legislator that has worked with both sides to advance legislation and has worked behind the scenes to stop bad legislation from Republicans. He is someone that will work to end the partisan bickering and games in Washington to get big things done.”

Benjamin Wermund is the Houston Chronicle’s Washington correspondent. He previously covered federal education policy and national education issues at POLITICO, and before that covered higher education at the Chronicle and K-12 education at the Austin American-Statesman. He’s a Texas native and a diehard Spurs fan.